Softball Stays Atop League Standings With Sweep of Brown, 4-2, 2-0

Pictured: Rachel Brown
shutout the Bears in game two of the Crimson's sweep.
Photo Courtesy: DSPics.com

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – In a Monday afternoon league
doubleheader, the Harvard softball team produced strong pitching
performances en route to 4-2 and 2-0 wins over Brown. The sweep
keeps the Crimson atop the league standings with a 9-3 conference
mark to go along with an 18-19 overall record. Brown slips to 3-9
in conference play and 15-18 on the season.

A three-run first inning proved to be enough for the Crimson as
the Julia
Moore and Margaux Black
combined to keep the Browns at bay, holding the guests to two runs.
After the visitors plated a run in the top of the first, Harvard
got two runners on as Ellen Macadam and
Melissa
Schellberg stroked singles. Whitney Shaw
cleared the bases with a three-run blast over the wall in
left-center to give the hosts a 3-1 lead after one. Jessica Ferri
added an RBI double in the sixth and Black earned the save in the
circle, her second of the season.

Shaw finished the game 2 for 3 with three RBI while Macadam,
Schellberg and Jessica Pledger
collected two hits each on the game. Moore earned her fourth win of
the season, pitching four solid innings and allowing two runs on
three hits. Black held Brown without a run or a hit in three
innings of relief.

Harvard pitcher Rachel Brown and her counterpart Liz DiMascio
each got through the first two frames unscathed but the Crimson
broke through in the bottom of the third. Jane Alexander
walked to start the inning and, after advancing to second on a
passed ball, scored on a Macadam single up the middle. Emily Henderson
reached second with a double in the fifth and scored on a Macadam
triple to the right field gap to give the hosts a 2-0 lead after
five. Brown shut down the Bears in the top of the seventh to seal
the 2-0 final.

Macadam ended the game 2 for 2 with two RBI and Henderson
collected Harvard's other hit. Brown finished with 14 strikeouts in
the day, going seven strong innings, scattering four hits to earn
her 11th win of the season.

The Crimson is back in action tomorrow as it plays a makeup game
against Rhode Island, starting at 3 p.m.